The present invention relates to magnetic air/fuel conditioning systems and more particularly to the use of magnets in the fuel and air intake lines of an internal combustion engine for reducing emissions and improving efficiency.
Currently regulated gas emissions from motor vehicles are unburned hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x).
Unburned HC and NO.sub.x react in the atmosphere to form photo-chemical smog. Smog is highly oxidizing in the environment and is the prime cause of eye and throat irritation, bad odor, plant damage, and decreased visibility. Oxides of nitrogen are also toxic. CO impairs blood capability to carry oxygen to the brain, resulting in slower reaction times and impaired judgement.
An examination of the art reveals a number of magnetic devices which have been produced to enhance the operation of internal combustion engines by application of static magnets and electromagnetic principles.
It is known that the use of permanent magnets on the fuel line of an automotive internal combustion engine for subjecting the fuel to a magnetic field will improve the performance of the engine and reduce unwanted emissions.
It also has been shown that subjecting incoming oxygen containing gas to a a magnetic field will also increase combustion efficiency.
A number of United States Patents show the use of magnets for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in engines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,354 discloses the use of magnets to impose an electro magnetic field on flowing fuel. U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,621 teaches the use of magnets to impose a north magnetic field on the flowing oxygen containing gas to reduce unwanted emissions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,951 describes a system in which the fuel line is subject to a magnetic field with alternating poles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,262 discloses a fuel treating device in which both the incoming air and fuel are subject to longitudinal magnetic fields with alternating poles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,901 shows the use of magnets on a hydrocarbon fuel carrying duct for ionizing particles of the fuel, applying the south poles of the magnets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,271 describes the use of magnets to subject oil to a magnetic field to reduce the buildup of undesirable materials along the inside wall of the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,288 discloses the use of magnets to subject fuel to a magnetic force field with poles alternating. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,382 describes the use of magnets to impose a magnetic field on the fuel to an engine with both poles of the magnetic adjacent the fuel conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,512 has a helical array of magnets surrounding a fuel carrying conduit to concentrate the magnetic field on the flowing fluid.
None of the preceding patents teaches the present invention.